Rio Tinto attracts several proposals to build 4 GW of wind, solar power

An indication adorns the constructing the place mining firm Rio Tinto has their workplace in Perth, Western Australia, November 19, 2015. REUTERS/David Grey

MELBOURNE, Aug 5 (Reuters) – International miner Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) has obtained a number of gives to construct 4 gigawatts (GW) of wind and photo voltaic farms to energy its alumina and aluminium operations in Australia’s Queensland state, the corporate’s Australia head mentioned on Friday.

Rio Tinto Chief Government Officer Australia Kellie Parker mentioned the corporate, the nation’s greatest single energy consumer, had obtained proposals for “much more than the 4 GW” that it requested for in its name for proposals key to slashing its carbon emissions.

Rio Tinto mentioned in June its Boyne aluminium smelter, Yarwun alumina refinery and Queensland Alumina refinery want a mixed 1,140 megawatts (MW) of dependable energy, and was searching for gives to construct at the least 4,000 MW, or 4 GW, of wind and solar energy backed up by power storage which might be required to produce regular energy. learn extra

Parker, nevertheless, gave no value estimate for the tasks on Friday.

“All of us perceive that Australia stays an costly location to construct, so it will not be straightforward,” she mentioned in a speech to the Melbourne Mining Membership.

A number of points must be sorted out earlier than the large construct of renewables – equal to greater than a 3rd of the whole wind and photo voltaic capability Australia already has – might go forward.

“A coordinated grid answer in Queensland will probably be vital and requires the collaboration of suppliers, customers, regulators, transmission suppliers and policymakers. Expertise may also play an vital function,” Parker mentioned.

The corporate had but to resolve what function it could play within the technology or provide of renewable power because the proposals it had obtained concerned it being proprietor, operator, companion, investor and buyer for the tasks, she mentioned.

(This story refiles to right typographical error in headline)

Reporting by Sonali Paul; Enhancing by Rashmi Aich

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